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I arrived by myself around 7:15 and the restaurant was fairly empty. I was brought to a very nice table with good lighting (I had a book to read) and the service was five. I had a beautiful mista salad. The nice selection of greens were fresh and gently cooled so they were crispy and flavorful with a fine sprinkling of a vinaigrette which allowed the greens to be the stars of the dish. The Tagliolini Alla Nostra Maniera was not the thin pasta promised but a nice portion of a hearty spaghetti with a terrific sauce and selection of seafood. It was delicious and just the right amount. By this time, the restaurant had filled and the waiter (one in the room) gave his attention to the larger tables. He finally came over with the check in hand and asked if I would like dessert. When I asked to see the menu, he walked away and returned with the menu after he served water and menus to the table next to me and engaged with them in a conversation about the specials (which were not offered to me) and the wine. He could have leaned over and asked for my dessert order at that point but he did not. By the time he did come by to take the dessert order, it was too late for me to have dessert and I had to ask for the bill. Again I waited quite a bit for the bill. I'd say once the tables filled with two or more customers, this single was ignored. The tip reflected this and I hope the waiter understood. I normally tip high to help make up for being only one and because I do not drink. Not this time. I really liked the food but I'll not be returning. There are too many just as good restaurants in NYC that treat singles well.

Our family visited this lovely Italian restaurant around Thanksgiving 2010. Looking forward to going back again this Mother's Day. The food, wine and service are perfect. Highly recommended!!

We've been here a couple of times (we dont' live in NYC). We love it. The food has always been fantastic. It is a very tiny place, so it feels crowded, but it also feels typically NYC. Our service was great. They were attentive but not hovering. I can't speak to the bruch, we always go for dinner, but the Italian dishes were great and the prices, especially for NYC were fantastic.

Worst brunch experience I've had this afternoon at Al Dente. We went here b/c our orignal choice of Sarabeth's was too crowded and the wait was too long. So we went to Al Dente which is right in the area. We ordered French Toast, which tasted great, however, they sliced up ONE slice of toast into four very small pieces, added 5 banana slices as garnish on a large platter to make it look as if there was a lot of food on the plate. When we asked the waiter if these were normal portion sizes, he said yes. We made a note to never come here again, but quietly ate our food. Then we noticed (since we were sitting by the kitchen) that the manager kept sending staff out for groceries! Also other plates coming out of the kitchen were way fuller than ours! By then we'd already eaten, so we asked the manager regarding the portions, and she said what we got is standard and she saw our plates and that was their norm. We asked if it was b/c they ran out of ingredients in the kitchen, which we heard her say, and she said not at all, they were fully stocked. We continued to complain and she gave us half-price on the meal. We get outside and looked at the menu again, and notice we were supposed to get strawberries with our french toast, not bananas! No one asked us if they could substitute! When we go back in to question her about that, she says oh but we gave you extra bananas instead! 5 thin slices of banana is not generous...So in summary: - Childsize portions - Poor management - You don't get food as it's described in the menu - They don't take American Express Bottom line, go somewhere else.

I have been to Al Dente for brunch several times and it has always been great. I always get pancakes or french toast. My husband usually has some type of omlette which comes with really good potatoes. He's always been very happy with his choices too. The coffee is really good. They give you your own french press which is a nice touch. We've been to Al Dente twice for dinner. The first time I had a special pasta dish that was amazing. The second time the dish I got wasn't as good, but still acceptable. I also really like the atmosphere - it's adorable and cozy!

I don't know what these people are talking about? My wife and I visit al dente on a regular basis and have never had a bad experiance. The service is fast and the food is terrific !! The wine prices are very reasonable. I don't think the food is over priced at all, with a menu range of $13 to 20 bucks . I also get delivery at least once a week. Anyways for what it is worth I love this place and will defiately be back .

Went with friends for a relaxing Saturday lunch, and the place was almost empty. Should have heeded the signs. Our waiter took 5 minutes to give us menus. The wilted salads cost $10 apiece, and my "pizettes" were a joke. If you want to make a little pizza, that's all well and good. However, if you're taking cheap focaccia bread, putting jar sauce and oil "cheese" on it, don't call it something that traditionally tastes partway decent. And don't charge $10 for it. For a place that charges extra for their special brunch menu, I don't expect potatoes swimming in an oil spill. Portions were minuscule. Cheap food, jar sauce, all wrapped up in layers of pretension and sticker shock when the bill arrived. $150 for a substandard diner brunch? This place doesn't deserve to call itself a fine dining restaurant. Will not be returning.